242 INFERIOR EXTREMITY 



the tendon of that muscle. It next lies in the interval between 

 the lateral head of the gastrocnemius and the biceps fernoris, 

 and finally turning anteriorly, round the neck of the fibula, it 

 ends under cover of the proximal part of the peronaeus longus. 

 It gives off cutaneous and articular branches. 



The cutaneous branches are two in number, viz. the anasto- 

 motic peroneal nerve, and the lateral cutaneous nerve of the 

 calf which supplies the skin on the anterior and lateral aspect of 

 the proximal part of the leg. They frequently take origin by a 

 common trunk. The anastomotic peroneal nerve arises from the 

 common peroneal trunk in the fossa poplitea, and is continued 

 distally over the lateral head of the gastrocnemius. It ulti- 

 mately unites with the medial cutaneous nerve of the calf to 

 form the sural nerve. 



The articular branches are three in number. They 

 accompany the lateral genicular branches of the popliteal 

 artery, and the anterior recurrent tibial branch of the anterior 

 tibial artery. They are of small size and difficult to dissect. 

 The recurrent articular nerve springs from the termination of 

 the common peroneal nerve, and will be dissected at a later 

 stage. 



Arteria Poplitea (Popliteal Artery). The popliteal artery 

 is the terminal part of the great arterial trunk of the lower 

 limb. It begins at the opening in the adductor magnus, 

 where it is continuous with the femoral artery, and it ends, 

 at the distal border of the popliteus muscle, by dividing into 

 the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. This division is at 

 present hidden from view by the proximal border of the soleus 

 muscle, but it will be exposed in the dissection of the leg. 



The course which the popliteal artery takes through the 

 popliteal fossa is not straight. In the first instance it inclines 

 obliquely distally and laterally, so as to gain the middle of the 

 fossa between the two condyles of the femur. From this 

 point to its termination it takes a vertical course. Through- 

 out the greater part of its length it is placed deeply. In the 

 proximal part of the fossa it is covered by the semimem- 

 branosus, but when it gains the interval between the two 

 condyles, although it lies deeply in the fat of the fossa, it 

 is simply covered by the integuments and fasciae. This part 

 of the vessel is very short, however not more than about 

 an inch, because it at once passes onwards between and 

 anterior to the two heads of the gastrocnemius, is crossed by 



